Fasting day on watermelon during pregnancy. Fasting days for pregnant women. Berries with cottage cheese


Nutritionists prefer not to remember those times when people around them advised expectant mothers to eat not only for themselves, but also for “that guy or girl.”

Such behavior could not only spoil the figure of a woman in an interesting position and make her unattractive, but also pose a serious threat to her health during childbirth.

In order for the mother and the future newborn to feel great and receive the full range of nutrients, it is enough to provide them with a complete and balanced diet. Normally, if pregnancy proceeds without complications, a woman gains no more than 12 kg during the entire period.

But if the weight increases unevenly, swelling and some signs of gestosis appear, then fasting days during pregnancy become an urgent need.

The decision to prescribe a safe weight loss method for a pregnant woman is made only by a doctor! Even if the expectant mother dreams of arranging a fasting routine for preventive purposes on her own, she must agree on the menu for such a day with her doctor!

Are fasting days safe during pregnancy?

In the early stages of pregnancy, during its normal course, a woman can gain 1-3 kg in weight or remain in her usual shape. But during the first half of the gestation period, the expectant mother gains up to 40% of her weight gain, the remaining 60% occurs after the 20th week.

Significant weight gain is not always the result of excessive or high-calorie nutrition. Sometimes it is associated with the lifestyle of a pregnant woman or with the individual characteristics of her body (the functioning of the endocrine system, cardiovascular and others).

Fasting days during pregnancy are prescribed for the following symptoms:

  • Shortness of breath while walking;
  • Swelling of the legs;
  • Increased blood pressure;
  • Disorders of the cardiovascular system;
  • Problems with internal organs (kidneys, liver) and so on.

These signs can signal a deterioration in a woman’s health and cause a risk of pathological processes in the development of the fetus.

Medical indications for prescribing unloading for expectant mothers

Fasting days for pregnant women are an urgent need for:

1. Obesity of varying degrees or the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus. With increased levels of sugar or glucose in the blood, the walls of blood vessels in the fetus are damaged and blood flow is disrupted. This can cause the further development of diabetic fetopathy (multisystem lesions, endocrine and metabolic dysfunctions) in the fetus, as well as trauma during childbirth and the child’s predisposition to diabetes mellitus in the future.

2. Gestosis (preeclampsia), expressed by high blood pressure, swelling and the presence of protein in the urine. This condition disrupts fetoplacental blood flow and often causes premature birth. At the same time, the baby experiences oxygen starvation.

3. Rapid weight gain. An increase in weight per week in a pregnant woman of 0.3-0.4 kg is considered normal. If the weight gain is equal to or exceeds 0.5 kg, the doctor prescribes fasting days for preventive purposes (to prevent the development of various complications).

The doctor makes this decision after a thorough examination of the pregnant woman, monitoring the medical history and consultations with related specialists.

The main “secrets” of unloading during pregnancy

Fasting days during pregnancy are carried out only after the onset of 28 weeks, when the vital organs and systems of the fetus are already fully formed.

Important! You can often find three-day fasts for pregnant women online, which is extremely dangerous! Such advice from illiterate specialists can cause serious harm to the expectant mother and her child!

  • It is allowed to carry out one (!) fasting day per week (7-8 days). This will help avoid the consequences: deterioration of pregnancy, nutritional deficiency for the fetus and possible retardation in physical and mental development due to a lack of vital components.
  • For the normal course of metabolic processes in the body, a pregnant woman needs 1500 kcal per day, so this figure is taken as the basis when calculating the calorie content of a fasting day.
  • The entire daily diet should be divided into 5-6 small equal portions and eaten one every 3-4 hours.
  • When eating, you should not rush; you need to chew your food thoroughly in order not only to get enough, but also to prevent problems with the gastrointestinal tract.
  • On this day you need to drink at least two liters of purified or boiled water.
  • If you feel excessively hungry, you can satisfy it with a glass of low-fat natural yogurt or kefir.
  • It is better to limit or eliminate physical activity on such days. It is better to replace them with walks in the fresh air.
  • When leaving, you need to listen to your doctor’s recommendations and eat small portions of light foods.

Fasting days for pregnant women: original solutions

The most common healthy foods for fasting during pregnancy are: apples, watermelon, cucumbers, fermented milk drinks, cottage cheese, pumpkin, zucchini, boiled buckwheat without salt, lean river fish, veal or chicken breast.

They can be boiled without adding salt, baked without adding sugar, sprinkled with cinnamon, or steamed.

Separately, it is worth noting the careful consumption of rice and potatoes during fasting days. The increased starch content in these foods can lead to water retention in the body, constipation and weight gain. They can only be used by women with a sufficiently high metabolic rate.

Fasting days during pregnancy on fermented milk drinks bring the greatest benefit for obesity and atherosclerosis, cucumber days for high blood pressure (hypertension), and watermelon or apple days are good for heart and kidney diseases. Unloading with a meat diet is a taboo for chronic diseases of the cardiovascular system and gastrointestinal tract!

  • The famous one and a half kilograms of apples for consumption on a fasting day can be partially eaten fresh, the other part of the fruit can be baked in the oven, sprinkled with cinnamon (this dish is ideal for women with gastrointestinal problems) - this healthy, tasty dessert can be included in your regular menu. Or you can make a delicious one (beat a peeled apple in a blender, pour low-fat kefir over it and sprinkle with cinnamon).
  • During the watermelon season (if there are no contraindications!), you can replace apples with the pulp of these berries or use other favorite fruits. You can also use them to prepare salads with lemon juice or a small amount of low-fat sour cream (without sugar or sweeteners!), fresh juices with pulp or smoothie cocktails. Only peaches, bananas, figs and grapes are excluded for the fasting day.
  • Vegetable days. In addition to fruits, you can use one and a half kilos of non-starchy vegetables to lose weight: cucumbers, zucchini, bell peppers or cauliflower. Some of them can be eaten fresh or in salads, others can also be steamed, stewed, baked (but without salt!) or poured with low-fat natural yogurt (in the form of “a la okroshka”) and sprinkled with permitted types of herbs.
  • Protein days. Half a kilo of lean fish (cod, hake, perch, pike, pollock) or the same amount of dietary meat (veal, turkey, chicken) is divided into 5 meals. On this day you can consume 1 kg of fresh vegetables (not containing starch) or 1 liter of “zero” kefir. The amount of clean water can be limited to 1.5 liters by adding 500-600 ml of rosehip decoction. Protein fasting days also include cottage cheese days. Their menu: 500-600 gr. cottage cheese (4%) and 1 liter of kefir (natural yogurt).
  • Cereal days. Boil 300 gr. buckwheat in water without salt, divide into 5 servings and eat after 3-4 hours. For drinks – 1 liter of kefir or milk. Water – at least 2 liters. Or boil brown rice (150 g) in the same way, eat with apples (3-5 pcs.), 3 cucumbers, carrots and 1-2 pcs. bell pepper.
  • Boil one kilogram of potatoes and eat them throughout the day along with 500-700 ml of low-fat kefir. Drink water (1-1.5 l), green tea (500 ml) and/or (500 ml) as usual.

One well-organized (under the supervision of a doctor!) fasting day during pregnancy helps to get rid of 300-800 grams. excess weight due to fluid loss. Its elimination is facilitated by the absence of salt and sugar in the diet.

Fasting days during pregnancy improve metabolism in the body of the expectant mother and fetus, reduce the load on the cardiovascular system and normalize the functioning of all internal organs. They are also ideal for maintaining your figure and strengthening your health before the most important event in the life of a pregnant woman - childbirth!

Overeating during pregnancy leads to excessive weight gain. For physiological reasons, the expectant mother often feels the urge to chew. At the same time, she gains significant weight and bears a large fetus. A child weighing more than 3.4 kg is at risk of injury during childbirth. In this case, the woman’s birth canal will also be injured. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor weight gain during pregnancy, adjust the menu and, if necessary, arrange fasting days for pregnant women.

Who needs unloading

  • A fasting day for pregnant women is necessary when the expectant mother is intensively gaining weight. There are some average weight gain norms. So, in the second trimester, a woman can gain 300 g per week, and in the third - 400 g per week. If during a singleton pregnancy the mother gains more than 500 g, fasting days are necessary.
  • A fasting day is necessary for women with initially large body weight, a diagnosis of obesity of any degree, which was made before pregnancy.
  • Unloading is necessary if a pregnant woman’s blood pressure begins to increase or arrhythmia appears.
  • For swelling.
  • After feasts and holidays with plentiful meals.
  • During toxicosis.
  • In case of exacerbation of an allergic reaction.
  • And also in the presence of chronic diseases - gastrointestinal tract, urolithiasis, diabetes.
  • When the first signs of a cold appear or other manifestations of decreased immunity.

How often should you unload?

Fasting days are indicated for pregnant women after 28 weeks. At this time, all the child’s organs are already formed, and the fetus continues to grow in the womb. Intensive weight gain is underway. Fasting days during this period will not cause problems, but will allow you to reduce the amount of adipose tissue.

During pregnancy, a woman gains from 10 to 15 kg (normal). At the same time, only 3-3.5 kg per child. Everything else is mom’s weight gain. Namely, the uterus becomes heavier by 1 kg, the chest by 0.5 kg. Amniotic fluid appears, the weight of which by the time of birth can reach 1.5-2 kg. The placenta is released into the uterine cavity, the weight of which can reach 0.8-1 kg. Everything else, more than 4 kg, is added as fat deposits in the mother’s body. It is this fat that needs to be controlled on fasting days.

The frequency of fasting days is once every 7-10 days. The frequency of these depends on weight gain. If it is relatively small (from 400 to 500 g), it is enough to “unload” once every 10 days. If the weight gain is significant (more than 500 g), more frequent “unloading” is necessary, once a week.

During pregnancy, a diet for 1 day is enough. You should not unload for longer than 2-3 or more days.

What does a fasting day give?

In addition to normalizing weight, periodic fasting days during pregnancy can improve digestion and increase resistance to infections. They:

  1. They remove some toxins from the intestines, and thereby increase resistance to infections and improve immunity.
  2. A fasting day normalizes blood pressure - this is important for women with hypertension.
  3. Unloading reduces swelling, which is observed in 80% of women in late pregnancy.

Fasting days for pregnant women in the third and second trimester are recommended for most women.

Rules

So, we are planning a fasting day for a pregnant woman. To lose weight, you must follow these rules:

  • The fasting day menu should be familiar to a pregnant woman. This is due to the absorption of products. Enzymes break down food components in the intestines. They are specific for certain food products. Therefore, unusual food is poorly digested and often causes allergic reactions or disorders. Note: you can spend fasting days even on oranges, if this food is familiar to a woman.
  • It is necessary to accompany the fasting day with feasible physical exercises. Note: doing gymnastics and performing physical movements is necessary throughout pregnancy. You cannot start classes abruptly and actively in the third trimester. This can cause early labor, when the fetus is not yet fully developed and ready for birth.
  • It is imperative to maintain a drinking regime. This will speed up the removal of toxins and enhance the cleaning effect. The amount of liquid on a fasting day is 1.5-2 liters. What is suitable for drinking: unsweetened compote of natural fruits and dried fruits, green or herbal tea without flavorings or additives, clean water. Important - do not drink carbonated water.
  • Chew food for a long time. Few people know that the process of digesting food begins in the mouth. Here, in the oral cavity, a feeling of satiety is formed. Chewing each piece for a long time allows you to feel the moment of fullness in time, and satisfy your hunger with a small amount of food .

And one more thing: dinner on the eve of unloading should be light - steamed and raw vegetables, fermented milk products.

Menu options

Let's look at which products are most often used for fasting days. What do they give to the body and what benefits do they bring to a growing child.

A day on kefir - ideal for any period

Fermented milk products - kefir, fermented baked milk - contain the calcium necessary for the body and probiotics important for digestion. Fermented milk products contain a complex of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, which ensure the digestion of food. The intake of live bacteria along with fermented baked milk and kefir replenish the composition of the friendly bacterial flora. What heals the body of a pregnant woman. Namely:

  1. Food is better digested. A pregnant woman's nutrition becomes more complete. The child in the womb receives the necessary nutritional components in sufficient quantities and develops normally.
  2. Intestinal function is stimulated. This ensures timely evacuation of feces and removal of toxins from the intestinal cavity. The large and small intestines get rid of fecal deposits.

With a kefir diet, a pregnant woman drinks up to 300-400 ml of kefir or sour milk at one time. The total amount of fermented milk product is up to 2 liters per day. You need to drink it in small sips. In this case, each sip must be held in the mouth, as if “chewing liquid food.”

A day on a fermented milk drink can be enriched with fresh or dried fruits without sugar.

Store-bought packaged yogurt is not suitable for a fasting day. It contains sugar and flavorings. For those who have high acidity, it is better to spend a fasting day on fermented baked milk. You can also replace kefir with sour milk - at normal acidity.

A day on apples - middle zone

Apples are affordable fruits that can also be used for fasting days during pregnancy. The pulp and peel of apples contain a lot of useful substances, vitamins and microelements. They are especially rich in iron - in those varieties whose flesh turns brown in the open air and oxidizes to form a light brown color.

Apples should be eaten when they are in season. In mid-summer - early ripening summer varieties. In autumn and during winter - winter varieties with long-term storage.

Along with apples, you can consume a small amount of honey - up to 2 tablespoons during the day.

For pregnant women with high acidity, it is recommended to spend fasting days on sweet apples. Despite the increased amount of sugars in the pulp, they also contain many living vitamins and enzymes, therefore they are useful, despite the sweet taste.

Fruit day - for the southern regions

Apples are one of the options for a fruit diet. Such a diet can be very varied if you create a fasting menu for any fruit and berries. For breakfast, lunch and dinner you can eat plums, apricots, pears, mulberries, strawberries, currants, blackberries (according to the season).

For fasting days during pregnancy, fresh fruits are used. Any variants of canned products are not suitable for unloading menus.

In winter, in the absence of fresh vegetables, you can “unload” on dried fruits. To do this, use drying prepared without sugar syrup and other sweeteners. Preferably homemade.

You can dry and prepare any berries and fruits for winter consumption - melons and watermelons, pears and plums. They are prepared in a home dryer, stored in glass containers and consumed in the winter in the form of healthy sweets or on the fasting menu for a pregnant woman.

Autumn diet - a day on watermelons

This is a variant of the fruit and berry diet - the best fasting day during pregnancy with edema. It is definitely recommended for women with kidney disease (without stones in the renal ducts). Watermelon day is also indicated for women diagnosed with cystitis.

When carrying a child, a woman's internal organs shift, making room for the growing fetus. Displacement of the buds often causes sand to settle. Watermelon diets in the fall allow you to wash away the sand without waiting for the end of pregnancy.

Unloading on cereal and kefir - for the eighth and ninth month

This option for a fasting day is suitable for breastfeeding women, since they need to maintain breast milk production. For gentle “unloading”, flakes are used - oatmeal, wheat, corn, buckwheat. They are sold in health food departments. To prepare breakfast, lunch or dinner, the flakes are poured with kefir, fermented baked milk or homemade yogurt and left to swell for 20-30 minutes. During this time, they will absorb the fermented milk product, increase in size and become digestible.

For those with a sweet tooth, you can add 1 tablespoon of honey to kefir. It will increase the sweetness and add benefits. Honey contains microelements in digestible form. On such a diet, a woman will not be haunted by hunger.

A day on kefir and cottage cheese - for the third trimester

Kefir and cottage cheese are the first complementary foods that are given to an infant upon reaching 5-6 months. This is a complete food that contains many useful substances and a minimal amount of fats and carbohydrates. On kefir and cottage cheese, you can successfully carry out fasting days in any trimester of pregnancy.

In order for the kefir-curd diet not to create a feeling of hunger, it is necessary that the pregnant woman’s body is accustomed to dairy products. The intestines need enzymes to break down milk protein and fat. To do this, you need to consume dairy products daily.

Reading time 10 minutes

Currently, nutritionists do not advise pregnant women to eat for two. Because such behavior not only spoils the figure of the expectant mother, but is also a threat to health during the period of delivery. Mothers ask the question: “Is it possible to do fasting days during pregnancy?” Answering this question, nutritionists say that fasting days are not only necessary, but simply necessary for a pregnant girl. However, a complete and balanced diet must be maintained.

During the entire pregnancy, a girl should increase her weight by no more than 12 kilograms. If it so happens that the expectant mother has gained more than the norm, then she needs to perform fasting days with a certain frequency, but on the eve of such an event, it is worth consulting with a qualified nutritionist or gynecologist, so that the costs of nutrition do not become detrimental. the future of the baby and its intrauterine development.

An effective fasting day during pregnancy is urgently necessary if a woman’s weight increases, resulting in swelling, the primary signs of gestosis. A fasting day during pregnancy is prescribed by qualified medical professionals, taking into account the individual characteristics of the expectant mother’s body. Safe methods are chosen that stimulate weight loss.

Rules for fasting days

Unloading for pregnant girls is prescribed by qualified medical workers in several cases:

  • Overweight
  • Unevenly growing weight
  • Swelling of the face or limbs
  • When primary signs of gestosis appear

This is necessary for the delivery to be successful and without complications. If a woman, when planning a pregnancy and during gestation, arranges for herself to unload, then she needs to discuss the menu with her doctor. Since scientists have learned that a fasting day during pregnancy can bring a weight loss of up to 800 kg daily, it often removes excess fluid from the body.

Thus, we can summarize and answer the question “Is it possible to do a fasting day during pregnancy”? Naturally, you can, however, you need to listen to the recommendations and advice of experts.

Contraindications for fasting days

You should not do a fasting day during pregnancy if you have the following problems:

  • deficiency or low weight before pregnancy;
  • various chronic illnesses, during which low-calorie nutrition is prohibited.

If there are such problems, doctors prohibit expectant mothers from spending fasting days during pregnancy in the third trimester.

Forbidden:

  • a fasting day on kefir during pregnancy is contraindicated for girls who suffer from varying degrees of obesity or atherosclerosis;
  • It is forbidden to use a fasting day on cucumbers during pregnancy if there are peculiar surges in blood pressure;
  • watermelon, contraindicated during the period of exacerbation of various ailments associated with the kidneys and during exacerbation of hypertension;
  • meat unloading is prohibited if there are chronic abnormalities in the gastrointestinal tract or cardiovascular system.

Therefore, when choosing one or another type of unloading, it is necessary to consult with qualified specialists who, after studying the patient’s medical history and the course of pregnancy, will prescribe the necessary and effective unloading.

Types of fasting days

Fasting day during pregnancy, the menu is divided into two types, such as light and full. At the first view of the menu, unloading is carried out with the use of the following products:

  • vegetables
  • fruits
  • various juices and freshly squeezed juices

Consequently, the body of the expectant mother and her intrauterine child receives balanced nutrition in combination with vitamins and microelements.

If you carry out unloading using protein days, then consume the following products:

  • various dairy products

However, the effectiveness of such unloading is low, since there is no feeling of hunger.


Positive and negative sides

The fasting day must be carried out correctly. It is then that it will help get rid of extra pounds and at the same time provide the pregnant woman and her intrauterine child with the necessary nutrients.

In addition, unloading will help:

  • improve the functioning of metabolism
  • deal with excess fluid
  • normalize blood pressure
  • get rid of swelling of the face and limbs
  • strengthen the immune system

In early pregnancy, provided the pregnancy progresses normally, a girl can gain about 3 kg in weight, but at the same time remain in optimal shape for her. Doctors note that in the first half of gestation, the expectant mother gains 40% of her weight, and the remaining 60 percent, weight gain occurs upon reaching the 20th week of pregnancy. It is important to note that weight gain is not the result of excessive and high-calorie malnutrition, but the girl’s lifestyle, the functioning of the endocrine system, and the vascular system.

A fasting day during pregnancy is prescribed when the following symptoms occur:

  • swelling of the limbs
  • shortness of breath during moderate walking
  • sudden increase or decrease in blood pressure
  • the appearance of disturbances in the functional activity of the cardiovascular systems

Such symptoms signal a deterioration in the health of the expectant mother, thereby increasing the possibility of pathological abnormalities in the development and growth of the intrauterine child.

5 effective and healthy diets

1. Fasting day for edema

In the last trimester of pregnancy, the expectant mother's limbs swell, which is considered a normal circumstance. Scientists have found that if during the last trimester of pregnancy a woman experiences swelling of the lower extremities, therefore, the unborn child will be born large, and the risk of premature birth is reduced. As you know, during this period, a woman’s body intensively produces estrogen, which attracts and retains the water needed in increased quantities, in order to preserve ligaments, tissues, and muscles for subsequent problem-free delivery. The bulk of the water from the female body will leave during labor, and during the week after it, residual fluid will come out as the process of hormonal changes begins. At this time, highly qualified and competent specialists in the field of medicine advise women, if swelling of the extremities appears, to consult a gynecologist for consultation and further diagnosis. The gynecologist prescribes various tests for mommy to monitor the level of protein in the blood. If protein is detected in the blood, this is considered the first detrimental symptom, therefore, it is necessary to relieve swelling as soon as possible by resorting to a healthy diet and lifestyle.

  • If possible, eliminate salt from vegetables and foods
  • exclude spicy, fatty foods
  • food must be cooked in the oven or steamed
  • add more fresh herbs, vegetables, fruits to your diet
  • divide food intake into fractional parts. Take every two to three hours, this way the weight will also decrease
  • between meals, you need to make snacks, which should include yogurt, kefir, fruit, dried apricots or raisins
  • doctors advise sticking to a fasting day if swelling occurs with the use of kefir or baked potatoes
  • A kefir fasting day during pregnancy, due to the occurrence of edema, must also be carried out.

Therefore, if the expectant mother is worried about excessive swelling of the limbs, she needs to consult a specialized doctor in order to decide what type of relief from swelling is best to use.


2. Fasting day on apples

A standard weekly fast is not considered an apple diet, therefore, you will not be able to lose weight. But the fruit contains a large amount of fiber, which is effective in getting rid of problems with stool, thereby cleansing the intestines. It is important to note that girls who often use this type of fasting note that it is very easy to tolerate and does not result in an uncontrollable feeling of hunger. Let us remind you that a fasting day during pregnancy using apples can only be used by expectant mothers who do not have problems with the gastrointestinal tract and do not have increased acidity. Because nutritionists and gynecologists advise using green apples with sourness. Basically, doctors recommend this type of unloading in the autumn or winter, since at this moment less drinking water is consumed, and as you know, it is impossible to supplement such unloading with water.

3. Fasting day on cottage cheese

This type of unloading is considered the most gentle, soft and most useful. It is known that dairy products have a high protein content, therefore, they contribute to the rapid removal of excess moisture from the body of the expectant mother. Such unloading does not mean that the girl and her intrauterine child will have to eat only dry cottage cheese all day long. You can add fruit to it or wash it down with some milk, and, if desired, kefir. Also, cottage cheese contains a high content of fluorine, iron, various vitamins, potassium, phosphorus, not counting amino acids and other components that are involved in fat and protein metabolism. At the same moment, its use normalizes the functional functioning of the liver. Often, when experts prescribe such a diet for an expectant mother, they recommend eating no more than 700 grams of cottage cheese per day, but it must be divided into six parts and consumed fractionally. During such unloading, you cannot limit the body from water or tea.

In order for the day on cottage cheese to be successful and effective, you should pay attention to the choice of cottage cheese necessary for unloading. A good option is homemade or farm cottage cheese, which has good, that is, high fat content. However, many mothers do not have the opportunity to purchase just such cottage cheese, so they buy it at the supermarket. When purchasing, it is important to pay attention that the cottage cheese should not contain vegetable fats, sugar, starch, or palm oil. You cannot use low-fat cottage cheese. The most suitable is cottage cheese, the fat content of which ranges from 4 to 8%. The preliminary dinner before the onset of such unloading should not be heavy, that is, it is better to eat a vegetable salad or drink a glass of kefir.

4. Fasting day on buckwheat

During heat treatment, buckwheat retains all useful substances and elements. As you know, such porridge is rich in various minerals and amino acids, which accelerate the absorption of calcium in the body of the expectant mother. In addition, it contains a certain amount of polyunsaturated fats, which help lower cholesterol. Unloading on buckwheat helps normalize metabolic processes, speeds up metabolism, strengthens the walls of blood vessels and reduces weight. This diet does not harm the gastrointestinal tract and at the same time, the expectant mother does not feel a pronounced feeling of hunger. Often, competent specialists prescribe such unloading if a pregnant woman has edema or constipation. A fasting day during pregnancy with the consumption of buckwheat also involves split intake in several stages. Buckwheat can be poured with milk or washed down with kefir. Sometimes, a girl may be given the option of a fasting day, when apples alternate with buckwheat.

5. Fasting day on watermelon

Watermelon is a storehouse of vitamins and microelements, such as magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, various groups of vitamins, folic acid, zinc, iron and copper. Therefore, doctors recommend that girls in position unload on a watermelon in order to replenish the mother’s body’s reserves of fiber and folic acid, while saving her from several kilograms. Throughout the day, the expectant mother should eat about 1 kilogram of watermelon pulp. That is, meals should be divided into many fractional parts, therefore, you should not eat a whole watermelon in one sitting. It is important to note that this type of unloading should never be performed on girls who have signs of diabetes.

Uncontrolled diets or fasting days can lead to various abnormalities in the growth and development of the unborn child, so it is worth consulting in advance with a qualified medical professional, such as a gynecologist or nutritionist. Because, in order to carry out a fasting day, there must be certain reasons or indications, according to which the doctor will prescribe one or another type of unloading of the female body. Girls should not forget that a fasting day during pregnancy can only be carried out from the 29th week of gestation. Proper unloading will not harm the mother and her unborn child.

In the third trimester of pregnancy, the child is already formed and viable, all he can do is gain weight, and the woman’s body is already beginning to prepare for childbirth and breastfeeding. Nutrition during the third trimester should not overload the body, be light and at the same time balanced.

The daily set of products, calorie content and the need for basic substances is approximately the same.

Meat

Preference should be given to lean meats, and a few weeks before giving birth you can avoid it altogether.

You should choose lean meats such as beef, chicken, duck, rabbit, and turkey. It is good to boil or stew the meat, bake it, after cutting out the fat from it. You can eat meat and fish not every day, but 4 times a week. Do not use meat broths as food; they impair liver function. Two weeks before giving birth, the portion of meat can be reduced by two to three times or abandoned altogether: the baby is already formed, mature, and this will not harm him, and the woman’s body will relax, the muscles of the perineum will prepare for childbirth, without meat they will be more elastic and the baby It will be easier to pass through the birth canal.

Vegetables and fruits

It is better to eat potatoes young and with their skins, carrots and beets fresh and boiled, any cabbage can be used, but broccoli is healthier, greens must be consumed daily. You should not get carried away with tomatoes, because they can cause allergies, but cucumbers can be eaten; they also have a mild diuretic effect. When choosing fruits and vegetables, it is better to take domestic ones, all for the same reason: so as not to put the unborn child at risk of allergies. They should be eaten according to the season: in summer and autumn, eat fresh, and in winter and spring, eat fresh only what is well stored (carrots, beets, potatoes), the rest is either taken out of the freezer (pumpkin, green peas, berries), or in dried form. The berries can be frozen for the winter, dried, rubbed with sugar, or made into five-minute jam. Nature provides everything, and in winter it is more difficult for the body to cope with allergens from fresh vegetables and fruits. You should not buy eggplants, cucumbers and tomatoes in stores in winter, because they contain more nitrates and other chemical compounds than nutrients.

Interesting to know! Among the pregnant women examined in Russia, deficiency of B vitamins was detected in 20–90% of women, and vitamin C deficiency in 45%.

Dairy

Drink about a mug of milk per day, up to 1/2 liter of fermented milk products. It’s better to make homemade yoghurt or buy plain low-fat yoghurt without additives, and at home add berries, dried fruits or top it with muesli, and you can also cook cottage cheese from fresh milk (add a couple of spoons of sour cream or kefir and bring to a boil), cottage cheese, like meat, before birth, it can be limited or eliminated so that the baby’s bones do not harden excessively. When choosing dairy products, it is better to choose simple ones, without additives, with a short shelf life. It is better to eat hard cheeses; it is advisable to place restrictions on soft cheeses and blue cheeses.

Groats

It is better to buy whole grain cereals: flakes have fewer beneficial properties. Semolina and white rice are undesirable from cereals; they remove beneficial substances from the body. To prepare porridge, the cereal should be soaked in water in advance and then boiled well. You can add vegetable oil and dried fruits to porridge.
It is better to take coarse bread, rye, and even better with bran and seeds.
Use not the highest grade flour.

Eggs

Boil eggs hard; if possible, it is better to use quail eggs.

Liquid

There is controversy regarding fluid limitation in the third trimester: those who adhere to the old Soviet rules recommend limiting it to 1–1.2 liters. Representatives of modern European views recommend drinking as much as you want, without restrictions, in order to remove toxins from the body. As a result, if 75% of the liquid you drink is excreted in urine per day, there is no excess weight gain - everything is fine and you should not limit yourself.
It is important to avoid eating mushrooms.

Interesting to know! American scientists believe that the nutritional pattern and diet of a pregnant woman can affect the brain of the unborn child. It is known that a pregnant woman’s diet and lifestyle affect the health of the unborn child. American scientists (Yale School) believe that with an emphasis on fatty foods, especially in the third trimester, changes occur in the child's hypothalamus, which leads to metabolic diseases (obesity, diabetes). And scientists from the Karolinska Institute (Stockholm), in turn, have already proven that children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy increased the risk of bronchial asthma by 65%.

Menu for a pregnant woman in the 3rd trimester

When creating a menu, pay attention to:

  • The daily menu should contain at least three servings of foods that are rich in calcium (milk, cottage cheese, cheese, fresh herbs) and iron (meat, spinach, berries, cabbage, buckwheat).
  • At least once a day you should eat a food rich in folic acid (greens, beans, lentils).
  • Eat foods containing vitamin C every day.
  • In the first half of the day, focus on protein foods; in the second half of the day, eat only light foods that are well and quickly absorbed: fermented milk products, salads, cereals.
  • Do not combine solid and liquid foods - you can eat soup, and after a couple of hours the second.

Sample menu diagram

Breakfast:

  • Porridge with butter – 100 g/cottage cheese – 100 g/omelet or scrambled eggs,
  • Fruit/toast with jam,
  • Warm drink.

Lunch:

  • Yogurt – 100 g,
  • Berries or fruit – 150 g.

Dinner:

  • Soup with a piece of bread
  • A glass of compote or juice,
  • Dried fruits – 70 g.

Second lunch:

  • Meat or fish – 200–300 g,
  • Vegetable salad/legume side dish,
  • Dessert.

Afternoon snack:

  • Nuts, seeds, dried fruits – 100 g.

Dinner:

  • Vegetable stew with a piece of bread/puree soup,
  • Fruit/fruit-milk smoothie.
  • Before bed, kefir, apple, glass of milk.

Weight gain

Weight gain per week should not exceed 300–550 g. During the second half of pregnancy, a woman should normally gain 60% of the total weight gain, for a total of no more than 16 kg for the entire pregnancy. In multiple pregnancies, the values ​​will be higher.

Difficulty with stool


Foods rich in fiber will help prevent constipation in a pregnant woman.

To prevent constipation, it is advisable to eat foods rich in fiber, namely: wholemeal bread, bran flakes, muesli with added fiber, oatmeal, legumes, lentils, eat raw vegetables and fruits throughout the day, prunes, fresh blueberries, apples , eat beets (both raw and boiled) daily, season salads and cereals with vegetable oil. Drink mineral water with a high content of magnesium. Before going to bed, drink yogurt and one-day kefir.
Avoid rice and eat less flour.

Heartburn

Heartburn occurs due to the fact that the child is large and presses the internal organs upward. Heartburn continues to worsen towards childbirth. To prevent heartburn, follow these tips:

  1. Do not eat large amounts of food, especially after 16.00–17.00;
  2. Eliminate all fried, smoked, fatty foods;
  3. Do not eat acidic foods such as apples, lemons in the evening;
  4. After eating, you can walk for about 30 minutes, sit, but do not lie down;
  5. Many people with heartburn are helped by drinking a glass of cool milk, freshly squeezed potato juice, tea from fennel or dill seeds, nuts, oatmeal or semolina porridge in milk with butter, pumpkin seeds;
  6. In the afternoon, avoid foods that cause heartburn in you;
  7. If you cannot cope with heartburn using the methods listed above, then during pregnancy you are allowed to use the antacid drug Rennie.

Prevention of hypogalactia

Even during pregnancy, a woman should prepare for breastfeeding and exclude the occurrence of hypogalactia (lack of milk). To do this, you need to eat nutritiously, following the rules for the third trimester of pregnancy and massage the mammary glands. In the last two months of pregnancy, massage should be given 2 minutes a day. It consists of the following: take the nipple on both sides with your index finger and thumb and make rhythmic squeezing movements. Contraindication to this exercise: threat of premature birth.

Food poisoning

To avoid infection with dangerous pathogens of intestinal infections, it is advisable not to eat:

  • Pates;
  • Raw eggs, soft-boiled eggs;
  • Unboiled goat milk;
  • Soft cheeses;
  • Sweets with butter cream;
  • Wild game meat, raw meat dishes, meat cooked over a fire;

And also important:

  • Cereals must be washed in cold water before cooking;
  • Fruits and vegetables purchased at the market or in a store should be washed under running water and soap;
  • Drink boiled water;
  • Eat only fresh dairy products, pay special attention to their expiration date.

Prevention of gestosis

Preeclampsia is a complication of the third trimester of pregnancy, also called late toxicosis. In severe cases of gestosis, hospital treatment is mandatory. However, it can be avoided: it has been noted that if you follow a diet throughout pregnancy, an adequate supply of vitamins, potassium and iodine, the risk of developing preeclampsia is minimized.
The presence of proteins of both plant and animal origin in the diet is important, because it is protein that returns excess fluid from the tissues back into the blood, and subsequently it is excreted through the kidneys in the urine. Avoid salty foods: salt retains water in the body. It is important to maintain a balance of vitamin B6 in the body. When toxicosis begins, it is good to drink a soothing mixture, valerian, motherwort, aromatherapy with soothing essential oils is effective.

Fasting day

A fasting day is an opportunity for the body to rest and get rid of unnecessary substances. In the third trimester, fasting days can and should be done, especially for those who have excess weight gain. It should be done once a week (not more often). It is advisable to do it on the same day. In terms of energy reserves, it is approximately 1000 kcal. Includes the same type of low-calorie food, distributed into 5-6 servings.

Examples of a fasting day:

  1. 1 kg of apples, can be eaten raw, make a salad with vegetable oil from grated apples, can be baked in the oven with a spoonful of honey.
  2. 500 g of fresh cottage cheese, cottage cheese can also be browned in the oven.
  3. 500 g apples plus 250 g cottage cheese.
  4. 800–1000 g baked potatoes.
  5. 400 g of baked or boiled potatoes plus 250 g of boiled lean meat.
  6. 1 kg of any fresh vegetables.
  7. 400 g of vegetables plus 250 g of boiled meat.

Edema. What to do

Edema is usually a manifestation of gestosis and indicates fluid retention in a woman’s body.
Tips to help reduce swelling:

  • We exclude salt completely, there is a complete limit on sausage, crackers and chips, fried, smoked.
  • Limit the liquid you drink to 1.5 l/day, this volume includes soups, cereals, vegetables and fruits (one piece is considered approximately 50 ml of liquid).
  • Protein foods must be present in the diet; at least 200 g of meat and 200 g of cottage cheese should be eaten per day.
  • Instead of water and tea, drink a decoction of lingonberry leaves, strawberry leaves, drinks with the addition of chicory, an infusion of dried fruits, eat lingonberry jam instead of sweets, include in your diet more foods that have a diuretic effect (cucumbers, melon, watermelon, parsley, celery, carrots and carrot juice).
  • Eliminate all fatty foods, marinated foods, replace mayonnaise and ketchup with horseradish or mustard.
  • Be sure to give yourself a fasting day once a week.
  • After a walk, you can lie down with your legs up.
  • Self-prescribing diuretic medications is prohibited; this can lead to dehydration!

Proper nutrition in the last months of pregnancy is a good preparation for both childbirth and pregnancy.


Is it possible to perform unloading during pregnancy? How can this be done most safely for the health of the expectant mother and her baby? What products are most suitable for fasting days - this article will tell you all about it.

Correct conduct of fasting days while expecting a child

During pregnancy, many women begin to eat for two.

But then there comes a time when body weight rapidly increases, it becomes difficult for the expectant mother to walk, and existing chronic diseases appear.

In order not to worsen the situation, the expectant mother has to limit her daily calorie intake. Fasting days come to the rescue, as they have a beneficial effect on the health of a pregnant woman, but at the same time do not deprive her body of nutrients and minerals for a long period.

What are fasting days

A fasting day means a reduction in daily caloric intake and dietary restrictions. Usually on such days a woman is asked to eat one type of product that replaces all her meals. Unloading during pregnancy should be carried out only after consultation with a doctor.

If this method of eating lasts longer, it is already a diet, and it will not benefit the expectant mother. During unloading, the woman and her child receive the necessary carbohydrates, fats, proteins, microelements and vitamins, but in limited quantities.

The fasting day lasts for one day.

Benefits and harms


Fasting days really bring their benefits for the female body and the developing fetus:

  • they improve ongoing anabolic processes;
  • relieve stress from the gastric tract;
  • cleanse the intestines;
  • promote the removal of accumulated toxic substances from the body;
  • eliminate excess fluid, thereby reducing swelling;
  • speed up metabolism;
  • improve kidney function.

If fasting days are carried out uncontrolled and without the supervision of a doctor, then a lack of nutrients entering the body of a pregnant woman may occur. And this will lead to improper development of the fetus itself and to a delay in its development. You should not unload during toxicosis. The emerging feeling of hunger will only intensify the approaching nausea.

Is it possible to organize fasting days during pregnancy?

Unloading is allowed only after the 28th week of pregnancy.


Compliance with fasting days is prescribed by the doctor in each case individually. In this case, the recommendations of such specialists as an endocrinologist and cardiologist are always taken into account.

By this time, all the main and important organs of the fetus have already been formed and a slight restriction in nutrition will not harm the unborn child.

Indications for the use of fasting days are the following pathologies:

  • gestosis;
  • rapid increase in body weight;
  • obesity at the beginning of pregnancy;
  • chronic constipation;
  • the appearance of shortness of breath and severe swelling;
  • heart and vascular diseases;
  • exacerbation of kidney and liver diseases.

Recommendations from nutritionists on how to properly organize a fasting day during pregnancy

Fasting days must be carried out according to certain rules and taking into account all medical recommendations. This nutrition system cannot be used more often than once every 10-14 days. Frequent unloading can lead to nutritional deficiencies, and this will negatively affect the development and growth of the unborn baby.

Such days must be spent in accordance with the following recommendations:

  • It is better to start unloading the body in the evening, and also need to complete it in the evening of the next day;
  • the entire proposed diet will need to be divided into five meals, between which there should be no more than four hours;
  • You should eat food slowly, chewing your food thoroughly;
  • if a woman is suffering from severe hunger, she is allowed to drink a glass of kefir;
  • the calorie content of the diet on a fasting day should not be less than 100 kcal;
  • You should come out of unloading gradually, so the next day preference should be given to light food.

In the second or first trimester

In early pregnancy, unloading is not recommended.


An exception should be made only if a woman gains more than 600 grams per week in the first trimester. In this case, she may be shown unloading, the diet of which will consist of the following products:
  • poultry, lentils, chickpeas and soybeans;
  • buckwheat and spinach;
  • bananas and pumpkin;
  • broccoli and Chinese cabbage.

Fasting days during the second trimester are also carried out under the supervision of a doctor. A woman can be prescribed fractional but frequent meals that supply the body with all the necessary microelements. The diet is adjusted so that it does not contain harmful sweets, various baked goods, and fried foods.

In the third trimester


During the third trimester, some women are faced with the need to observe fasting days. Meals on such days should be four times a day. Unloading is best done on the following products:

  • fresh vegetables;
  • baked apples;
  • low fat cottage cheese.

Which fasting days are best to use?

When it comes to unloading during pregnancy, it is best to combine protein days with vegetables. This approach to nutrition will help maintain a normal acid-base balance. It is also necessary to take into account the individual characteristics of the female body and the process of pregnancy itself.

Diet during pregnancy for swelling

Every pregnant woman experiences edema. Due to the fact that the female body intensively produces the hormone estrogen during this period, water begins to linger and accumulate. Proper nutrition based on the following principles will help you cope with swelling:

  1. It is necessary to significantly limit salt intake.
  2. You should drink no more than two liters of liquid per day.
  3. Spicy and fatty dishes are excluded from the menu.
  4. The emphasis should be on cottage cheese, baked potatoes, and kefir.
  5. You can add herbs and fresh vegetables to the main products.
  6. As a snack, you can use dried apricots, yogurt, and a small amount of fruit.

A day on kefir or cottage cheese: recipes and menu for the day

The most gentle is a fasting day on cottage cheese.


Milk protein helps remove excess fluid from the body, so this product is indispensable during pregnancy. A day spent on cottage cheese is considered nutritious, as the following microelements enter the body:

  • calcium and potassium;
  • iron and fluorine;
  • phosphorus and amino acids;
  • vitamins C, A, B.

All these substances are directly involved in fat and protein metabolism, normalizing and restoring impaired liver function. If you don’t want to eat just cottage cheese all day, you can add fruits and berries to it. An approximate diet might look like this:

  1. For breakfast, 150 g of cottage cheese with a spoon of honey and a cup of green tea.
  2. The first snack should consist of a baked peach stuffed with 100 g of cottage cheese.
  3. For lunch, 200 g of cottage cheese 2% fat and a glass of kefir.
  4. For a second snack, you can make curd jelly with blueberries.
  5. For dinner, we offer a salad of 150 g of cottage cheese and 100 g of tomatoes, seasoned with yogurt and herbs.


A fasting day on kefir is most suitable for the third trimester of pregnancy. It will have the following effect:

  • cleanses the intestinal tract;
  • will facilitate the functioning of the digestive system;
  • will populate the pregnant woman’s body with beneficial bacteria;
  • relieves constipation;
  • Thanks to its diuretic effect, it will eliminate swelling.

Fermented milk drink should be taken with a fat content of no more than 2%. During the day you need to drink up to 1.5 liters of kefir per day, dividing this amount into six doses. You can make delicious drinks based on this product by mixing it with herbs, cucumbers, berries and bananas.

A day on the apple: sample menu


Apples contain a lot of fiber, which helps cleanse the intestines. Unloading on this product is easy. But if a woman suffers from gastritis or an ulcer with high acidity, then the apple fasting day should be abandoned.

You need to choose green apples. The menu for one day could be as follows:

  1. For breakfast, one baked apple with cinnamon.
  2. For a snack, one fresh apple, cut into slices, and a cup of tea.
  3. For lunch, a salad of apples, parsley and celery root, dressed with lemon juice and olive oil.
  4. For an afternoon snack, a glass of fresh apple juice.
  5. For dinner, applesauce made from the pulp of baked apples.

How to have a fasting day on buckwheat

Buckwheat contains amino acids that improve calcium absorption and restore lipid metabolism. Unloading on such a product turns out to be satisfying. To properly spend such a day, buckwheat (300 g in dry form) should be brewed with boiling water in the evening, after which the container should be wrapped in a towel. The resulting volume of porridge is divided into six meals.

How often should you organize fasting days?

Unloading during pregnancy should be done no more than once every 14 days unless there are doctor contraindications.


Otherwise, the woman’s body will perceive such days as real stress. And this is fraught with various violations. The fetus will no longer receive the necessary nutrients, which will negatively affect its development.

It is possible to unload during pregnancy, but only if there are appropriate indicators for this. Therefore, you should first consult your doctor.

If a woman decides to take a fasting day, she should choose those foods that are most favorably perceived by her body. At the slightest deterioration in health, it is better to refuse unloading.

Useful video